Mail-delivery apparatus



J. BUSHING. MAIL DELIVERY APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED MAY 24. 1919.

1,340,840. Patented May 18, 1920. v

g I I PATENT ()F'FIQE.

JOE BUSHING, OF HICKORY RIDGE} ARKANSAS.

MAIL-DELIVERY APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 18, 1920.

Application filed May 24, 1919. Serial No. 299,590.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Jon BUSHING, citizen of the United States of America, residing at Hickory Ridge, in the county of Cross and State of Arkansas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mail-Delivery Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the invention is to provide simple and efficient means for securing the delivery of mail in sacks or similar packages at predetermined points or stations,

from the station to the. train, without nccessitating the stopping of the latter or the material checking of the movement thereof, and to this end the invention consists in a construction and combination. of parts hereinafter set forth, it being understood that changes in form and proportion may be resorted to within the scope of the claim without departing from the principles involved.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the delivery apparatus,

Fig. 2 is a side view partly in section of the same showing in outline the location of a mail receiving receptacle as carried by a train.

Fig. 3 is a detail view of the train operated trip and related parts.

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the upper end of the casing housing the delivery arm stem.

Located at a selected station or point of delivery of same, and in suitable relation to the line of the railway track indicated in Fig. 1 at 10 is a post consisting in the construction illustrated of a casing 12 in which is mounted a reciprocatory stem 13 with the upper end of which is pivotally connected a supporting arm 14 normally resting upon the lower edge 15 of a bayonet slot 15 formed in the casing. It is thereby held in a substantially horizontal position as indicated in full lines in Fig. 2. This arm is preferably split or bifurcated as shown for engagement with a loop 16'at the upper end of a mail sack 17 The train may be provided with any suitable means for receiving the sack as for example a basket or other receptacle 18 as indicated in' Fig. 2, so that while the train is in progress and is passing the station the sack, by the proper manipulation of the supporting means, may be delivered and deposited in said receptacle. The arm 14 when not in use may be swung laterally into the horizontal leg 15" of the bayonet slot, thus placing it in a position parallel with the trap and out of reach of passing trains. In connection with the lower end of said stem 13 there is employed a bell crank lever 19 connected by a rod 20 or its equivalent with a second or intermediate' bell crank 21 which in turn is connected by a rod 22 with a bell crank 26 located near one of the track rails 24 as shown in Fig. 3, one arm of the last-named or operating bell crank 28 being arranged in operative relation with a plunger 25 mounted in a suitable guide 26.

This plunger is adapted for operation to elevate the stem 13 and thus by permitting the downward swinging movement of the arm 14 to discharge the mail sack, by means carried by the train or the mail car designed for the reception of the mail matter, and to this end said car may be provided with a trip cam supported below the car and in position for engagement with the upper end of the plunger 25 as the train passes the station. In the construction illustrated said trip is provided with a stem 27 mounted in a suitable guide 29 on the car indicated at 30. The trip cam is held normally raised but may be depressed by means of a foot pedal 34: attached to the upper end of the stem 27 to arrange the trip cam in operative relation with the plunger 25.

Obviously when the train approaches a station at which it is desired to collect the mail the trip may be operatively positioned by the mail clerk so that the cam will on gage and depress the plunger and thus by elevating the stem 13 cause the disengagement of the mail sack 17 at such time as to cause its reception by the means provided on the mail car'for that purpose, such operation being accomplished as will be obvious without necessitating the stopping or material checking of the movement of the train, and hence without the loss of time incident to the collection of mail under the ordinary conditions.

Claimed:

A mail delivery apparatus for railway trains having station mechanism including sack supporting arm, a casing by which the arm is pivotally supported, a stem inclosed by said casing and operatively connected with said arm for causing sack discharging movement thereof, a plunger located adja said casing being provideclewith a bayonet cent to the tracks, connections between said guide slot into one leg of which the arm may plunger and said stem whereby depression ,beswung to throw it out of operative posiof the former will cause sack delivery movetion. 10 5 ment of the stem, and train carried meeha- In testimony whereof I aflix my signature. nism for engagement with said; plunger, JOE BUSHING. 

